Accessories

Back in December, we talked about a new smartphone from Samsung called the Galaxy Core Advance. The smartphone has a 4.7-inch screen with WVGA resolution and dedicated buttons for the camera, volume, voice recorder, and more. The phone was designed with accessibility in mind for people that might not want to use or be able to use a touchscreen easily.

Sending GoPro and other rugged cameras into unusual places isn't new, but if you want to dispatch your DSLR or even your RED EPIC up in the air then that requires something more unusual. That's just what the Canadian team from Aerial Photo Image has come up with, an electronically-stabilized 3-axis camera gimbal capable of ridiculously smooth footage whether it's mounted on an RC helicopter, on the front of your bike, or just in your hands.

This morning Game Director Steven ter Heide of Guerrilla Games showed off his brand new DualShock 4 controller for the PlayStation 4. While the controller likely works exactly like the original, this model is the first all-white model we’ve seen in the wild. This controller is also branded with the title KILLZONE: Shadow Fall, likely set for release with a future edition of the game for PS4.*

This week on top of the Back to the Future HUVr board comes the Oscar Mayer Bacon alarm. This product has Oscar Mayer suggesting that we plug in to an iPhone and, instead of hearing an alarm noise in the morning, we get a burst of perfume that smells like bacon. Is it April 1st already?

SlashGear is in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2014, and while we're primarily here for new devices like Samsung's Galaxy S5 and Nokia's X, it's also a great chance to road-test some new gear in intensive conditions. This year, as well as our usual complement of laptops, cameras, external battery packs, and more, the team is trying out SCOTTEVEST's latest gadget-friendly clothing, including the new Q.U.E.S.T. Vest, which has a total of 42 different pockets.

The folks at Feenix are ramping up their gaming efforts with a pair of high-end headphones with embedded mic this week with the Aria. This is a headset with what the company suggests is "audiophile-level sound quality" and a look that’s doesn’t exactly scream "gamer." Here we’ve got woodgrain on metallic silver on black, with an engraving of the Feenix logo on either side.

It's like a blast from the past but is really a trip back to the future in the soon to be present. Tinker Hatfield, the original designer behind Nike's limited edition recreation of the movie prop, has just confirmed that we will be seeing self-lacing Power Laces in 2015.

Just this morning several change-ups in Apple's higher-up staff ranks have come to light, starting with the retirement of Rita Lane. This retirement moves out the Vice President of operations for Mac desktops, Mac accessories, and the iPad. Meanwhile Apple's Vice President of Global Retail Stores Denise Young Smith is moving to a new position as head of human resources.

Protective cases, of various shapes, sizes, and gimmicks, are a dime a dozen in the mobile device world but there are a few that rise above the others in design, features, and ingenuity. One such recent case comes from ZeroChroma who has just unveiled its new Folio-Slide case for the iPad Mini.

The Fitbit Flex, which we reviewed nearly a year ago, is a fitness band that tracks users body stats day and night, competing with some of the wristbands in the wearables fitness market. Soon, owners will gain access to an accessories line developed by Tory Burch, adding an element of chic to the fitness-centric wearable.